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Mexico is an incredible destination for food, wine (the country is home to eight wine regions), and spirits. Mexico’s food is rooted in Mesoamerican cuisine, which elevates local dishes over American-Mexican food.
Everything you need to know for a trip to Mexico
There’s so much more than just tacos and tequila you need to try when you’re in Mexico!
I hope you’ve worked up an appetite because here are the best foods to try in Mexico!
Chiles en Nogada
I’d never had this dish before my first trip to Mexico, and it’s now my favorite Mexican food. Chiles en nogada is a poblano chili stuffed with picadillo, topped with a walnut cream sauce, pomegranate seeds, and parsley. The picadillo (filling) usually contains meat, tomatoes, raisins, apples, pears, and peaches.
Mole
You’ve probably had mole before, but you’ll still want to try it a couple of times when you’re in Mexico because the flavors are more varied and dynamic than mole in the U.S. Most of the moles I tried were dominated by chiles, chocolate, garlic, onions, and cinnamon. But some mole recipes have more than 50 ingredients, which makes for an interesting meal.
Tortas
These Mexican sandwiches are my favorite meal to eat on the go. A great torta has a crusty bread roll stuffed with meat, cheese, refried beans, peppers, onions, and avocado. Tortas can be served hot, cold, grilled, toasted, or pressed like a panini, and no matter how they’re served, they’re delicious.
Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles
If you like nachos, then you’re going to love chilaquiles. For chilaquiles, tortillas are soaked in red or green chili sauce, then fried into chips, then topped with cotija cheese, onions, and other toppings of your choosing. This is most commonly served as a brunch dish with a fried egg on top.
Tlacoyo
Tlacoyos are the perfect street food. This thick, flat tortilla is stuffed with beans, cheese, beef, and other fillings of your choice. Then the Tlacoyo is topped with a red or green sauce, shredded lettuce, queso, cotija cheese, and onions.
Elote
There are two kinds of Mexican street corn. The most common kind is plain roasted ears of corn. The second kind is elote, roasted corn on the cobb that’s dipped in mayonnaise and then sprinkled with cotija cheese and chili powder. You’ll usually find these at street stands, and they’re served on a stick.
Churros
No Mexican food list would be complete without churros. You’ve probably had many churros over the years, but they’ll pale in comparison to Mexico’s hand-made, fresh, warm churro topped with cinnamon, sugar, and chocolate. Churros are usually served with warm sauces in Mexico, but you can also order churros with ice cream.
Flautas
Flautas are another Mexican dish you’ve probably had in other countries, but they’re better in Mexico. A flauta is a rolled-up flour tortilla with a filling – usually beef, chicken, or cheese. The tortilla is then deep-fried to be really crispy, then it’s served with shredded lettuce and queso fresco on top. In a restaurant, this dish is usually served with rice and beans.
Wine Tasting
Mexico is home to eight different wine regions. Seven of these areas are in the Northern Central part of the country, and the eighth is North Baja. So if you’re visiting one of these regions, you must do a winery tour and tasting. And even if you’re not visiting these areas, most cities in the country have tasting restaurants where you can sample Mexican wines from different vineyards around the country.
Mezcal and Pox
You’ve likely heard of mezcal, a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any agave plant (as opposed to tequila which must be made from blue agave grown only in certain parts of the country). Mezcal tastes like a smoky version of tequila, and it’s traditionally served with orange slices and chili powder. You dip the orange peel in the chili powder, chew and swallow the orange, then drink the mezcal.
Pox is the must-try Mexican liquor that you probably haven’t heard of. Made with corn, sugar cane, and wheat, pox tastes like a cross between tequila and whiskey. Pox is usually served in cocktails as opposed to on its own.
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What do you think are the best foods to try in Mexico? Tell us in the comments so we can “dish” about our favorite meals!
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This article on the best foods to try in Mexico is not a sponsored post. And, as always, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Some of the links in this post about the best foods to try in Mexico are affiliate links. And, at no cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
